New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has said that the final-year students shouldn’t assume that exams will be cancelled/postponed and they should continue preparing for the scheduled exams, reports NDTV. The commission said this after the Supreme Court of India queried about the conduct of the examinations.
“Students should continue to prepare for the examinations. Students should not be under the impression that examinations will be stayed because of the Supreme Court hearing,” The Commission responded, according to the report.
Appearing for one of the petitioners, Abhishek Sanghvi argued in the top court that the higher education regulatory body’s call was arbitrary and said that some of the universities do not have adequate IT infrastructure and it is not feasible for them to carry out the examinations.
“Heavens will not fall if exams are cancelled,” pointed out Sanghvi and cited the Disaster Management Act that allows state governments to take calls in this regard, the report added.
The court then asked the Home Ministry’s for its opinion on the matter. The Centre said it would reply by today, but it advised students to continue preparing for the exams.
The Commission in its report on Friday had said that all universities have to adhere to the parent body’s guidelines to conduct examinations of the final semesters before September 30. The court then adjourned the hearing and said the matter will again be taken up on August 10.
The Commission had also reminded that the decision by several states including Odisha, Punjab, Maharashtra and Haryana to cancel the university exams and give grades to the students on the basis of past performance and internal assessment is contrary to the guidelines UGC had issued on July 6.